Kansas leaders to fight for more federal stimulus funds

Topeka  Kansas will receive approximately $1.8 billion under the federal stimulus package, but state officials Wednesday said they hope to get more.

“There is significantly more potential in the area of competitive funds,” Lt. Gov. Mark Parkinson said. “We want to make sure that we are actively and aggressively pursuing every opportunity out there,” he said during a meeting of a state advisory group working on stimulus funding.

Kansas will receive funds under preset formulas for highways, health care, social services, education, unemployment, energy and other areas under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.

But the act also makes grants available to the states on a competitive basis for a wide range of functions.

“It is an unusual and interesting opportunity,” said Duane Goossen, budget director for Gov. Kathleen Sebelius.

He said the state was well-positioned to apply for competitive grants.

Goossen recently met in Washington, D.C., with representatives from other states and Vice President Joe Biden.

Biden emphasized “the overarching themes are create jobs, spend money, but do it in an accountable and transparent way,” Goossen said.